Wisniewski improving, not happy with Briere

Defenseman James Wisniewski believes his sprained right shoulder is already on the mend and is looking at next Wednesday as a target date to return for a home game against the Dallas Stars.

Wisniewski said he plans to be back skating by the end of this week after getting injured Saturday night in the Ducks' 3-2 shootout win over Philadelphia. If he can make it back for the Dallas game, it would mean only three games lost.

“The schedule has actually worked out perfect if I was going to be hurt for 10 days,” Wisniewski said today after a workout. “We play Sunday, Wednesday and Saturday [this week] and then Wednesday.

“It's spaced out perfectly. We're not playing every other day or something where I'd miss like six games in the span of 10 days or so.”

Wisniewski said he got injured midway through the third period when Flyers forward Daniel Briere checked him while he was on the ice as the two went after a loose puck in the defensive zone.

Days later, the hit still leaves the defender miffed at Briere.

“He decided to finish his check while I'm lying on the ice,” Wisniewski said. “Well, my arms were laying straight out. Actually, he even went a little bit lower to get a little more piece of me, which to me is kind of a dirty hit.

“I mean, there's no need to do that when a guy is in a vulnerable spot to go ahead and finish your check. But that happened. Stuff happens. My shoulder just kind of got crunched against the boards and that was it.”

Because it is the shoulder that he shoots with and plays his tough-as-nails game, Wisniewski said he's aware that he needs to make sure he is right before he can get back in the trenches.

“That's my style of game, obviously,” he said. “Hitting and shooting the puck. I rely on that a lot so I don't want it to be something that's keeping me back from playing my normal game.

“I don't want it to be a nagging injury all year long. It's just too long of a year.”

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